Pyland continues to push the boundary for worst cover possible for a romance. Does that cover just scream "there will be blood and horror in this story"? I mean, seriously. At this point, I have to wonder if it's deliberate it is so consistent. Like, did she make a bet with someone about covers not actually affecting sales at all and is working to prove it? Or does she have a committee of people who hate her do her cover design?
Aaannyway. This is a lovely stand-alone romance that's very much in Pyland's wheelhouse. By which I mean that the characters are engaging, the story fits the characters very well, and any conflict that comes up is well-supported and flows naturally from them and their circumstances. Which is to say, that she doesn't lean into dark moments and, indeed, this story doesn't have one because it would have had to be forced into the story with a plunger and tongs.
Casey and Baker were lovely. I liked how strong their connection was from the start and how well they just clicked together. Casey was perfect as the foil for Baker's shy introvert leanings and you could see how Casey reveled in the stability brought by Baker's steady hand. But I liked, too, how their initial connection blew up under strain, forcing them to actually take the time to learn trust and appreciation from a greater distance. Which is weird because I don't have a lot of patience with workplace excuses in romances because most authors don't bother making them anything more than excuses. It turns out it's a relief when there's substance to the concerns that take time to work out.
And I think I'll let it go there. Yes, the wish-fulfillment, celebrity story is everything you could guess it would be from the blurb—particularly for an lgbt core that felt real, or at least possible. I'm going to go with five stars, but with a caveat that I find Pyland's stories abnormally engaging. So maybe adjust a bit for knowing that my taste often lines up better for her stories than the average.
A note about Steamy: There are a couple of explicit sex scenes, though fewer than there could have been because they deliberately take things slow. It's not quite the middle of my steam tolerance, but that may be because I skimmed the last one. Frankly, I liked their intimate moments more before the sex happened.